The Portus Unspeakable Mysteries Summaries:

Movie Screenings

Dead Hedwig Productions Presents: Two Fan Films

Dead Hedwig Productions will present two fan films directed by Erin Pyne. “The Marauders' Worst Memory” explores Hogwarts’ past, when a young Severus Snape is tricked into followed Lupin into the Whomping Willow on the night of a full moon. “The Potter Prophecy” delves into the decisions and betrayals leading up to the murders of James and Lily Potter. Following the films, the presenter will show film bloopers and hold a question and answer session.

Panels

Accio Spoilers: An Exploration of the Author’s Role in Completed Fiction

HP fandom changed dramatically when JK Rowling released the final book of her series to the public. Where previously we thrived on speculating what the final book would reveal, now we are spending time analyzing the series as a whole and reacting to the massive amount of non-textual (outside the novels) information with which Rowling has provided us. For the first time since the inception of Harry’s world, Rowling is able to reveal to us, through interviews, book readings, and Q&A sessions, some of the secrets of the Wizarding World—whether or not we, as readers, really want this information. A few observations of fandom reveal that not all the members of the Potterverse are wholly united behind Rowling’s decision to provide additional information not revealed in the books. This panel will unite to explore several possible reader perspectives on the role this information should play for, not only fandom, but all readers.

Friday, 10:30-11:20am, Fleur de Lis Theatre

Happily Going Down With the HMS Pumpkin Pie

From the earliest days of the Harry Potter fandom when canon was wide open, the relationship between Harry Potter and Hermione Granger emerged as one of the more popular topics of discussions. H/Hr or the “HMS Pumpkin Pie” produced some of the first and most definitive works of fanfiction. When JK Rowling more clearly defined canon with the revelation of where her main characters' eventual romantic attachments would lie after the publication of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the fandom again engaged in lively debate and discussion. Many fans who set store by the "Pumpkin Pie" 'ship were left bereft, angry, and disappointed. However, in the years that have followed, many fans of the series have continued to not only support and sustain sites dedicated to the Harry/Hermione 'ship but many more fans have joined. This panel/roundtable will discuss the state of fans devoted to Harry/Hermione.

Saturday, 1:30-2:20pm, Fleur de Lis Theatre

(It's Not Just Religious) Symbolism in Deathly Hallows

King’s cross, the white doe, Voldemort’s disembodied eyes, Harry’s discarding the resurrection ring: can we find the hidden meanings? Many of the deaths shocked us, while others, like the last of Harry’s surrogate parents, seemed all too necessary. The Horcruxes were each destroyed by a different person. What does this show about each, particularly Neville and Crabbe? Rowling’s symbolic choices support the theme, offering nuances and unforeseen connections. The presentation will discuss the deeper levels of these symbols one by one, along with any you suggest. Delve deeper than readers have ever traveled into the mysterious final book.

Friday, 2:30-3:20pm, Fleur de Lis Theatre

Outcasts: Stigmatized by Hogwarts

While Hogwarts may be a place of freedom for some, it is a place of "othering" for many students at the campus. This panel will explore three forces within the Hogwarts institution that create such stigma as well as explore the possible causes. It appears that some abilities are downplayed and others are more overtly preferred. This panel will explore the repercussions of this and hope to begin an interesting discussion into the "othering" process at Hogwarts and the ramifications of this within the novels.

Saturday, 4:30-5:50pm, Fleur de Lis Theatre

Warnings In Fanfiction: What They Mean and When To Use Them

This panel will tackle the all-too-common question, what does that warning mean? Each of the four panelists are writers and readers of many different flavors of fanfiction. Using our differences, we will be able to look at a variety of warnings and discuss when each warning should be used. Example topics might include what makes something non-con verses dub-con, or what is the difference between yaoi and chan. At the beginning of the panel we will pass a box around and people can submit different warnings they want to understand better; after the first 30-35 minutes of the panel, we will open the box and engage the audience during the final discussion with the warnings they submitted.

Saturday, 2:30-3:20pm, Fleur de Lis Theatre

What House Are You In?

What house are you in? It's a question that comes up often among Potter fans. Many people are very loyal to the House they feel they belong to, and others never pick a House to be their own. This panel will be a discussion of why some people choose to pick houses, why some don't, and why people choose the houses they do.

Friday, 3:00-3:20pm. Obelisk B Theatre

Poster Sessions

Hufflepuff Pride

Linda Brady

Most of the time we Potter fans find ourselves discussing Gryffindor and Slytherin and forgetting to discuss the achievements of Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff. Linda is proudly a Hufflepuff and thinks that it is time we change that and focus on the importance Hufflepuff has played in the Harry Potter series.

Friday, 4:30-5:20pm, Edelweiss Room

Potions and Traditional and Modern Medicine

Elizabeth Wu

Fluxweed? Horn of Bicorn? Boomslang skin? Lacewing flies? Any Harry Potter fan would recognize these as ingredients for Polyjuice Potion (and face the ire of a Potions Master when suspected of brewing it). Although scientists cannot brew such a potion, with these ingredients (as some of these are difficult to find in the Muggle world), you will be surprised what other uses scientists and traditional healers have come up with similar ingredients.

Friday, 4:30-5:20pm, Edelweiss Room

Ravenclaw Pride

Kathy Brady

Most of the time we Potter fans find ourselves discussing Gryffindor and Slytherin and forgetting to discuss the achievements of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. Kathy is proudly a Ravenclaw and thinks that it is time we change that and focus on the importance Ravenclaw has played in the Harry Potter series.

Friday, 4:30-5:20pm, Edelweiss Room

Presentations

All's Fair in Love & Quidditch: Games as Metaphors for Love and War Throughout the HP Series

Barbara Purdom

Games are very important in the Potterverse but not just for fun. They serve as metaphors for war, whether life-and-death war or a battle for love. Often we see in the books that the metaphors become all too real.

Friday, 9:00-10:20am. Obelisk B Theatre

Christ in the Forest: Aslan and Harry Walk to their Deaths

Travis Prinzi

After the release of Deathly Hallows, JK Rowling spoke about the "religious undertones" of the series, the Christian influence, and the textual evidence of her struggle with faith in regards to "life after death." There is nowhere that these influences are more evident than in book seven, and there are very strong parallels both to the Christ story and to its Narnian retelling in CS Lewis's classic book The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. This presentation will explore the power of self-sacrifice on behalf of others as presented in the two stories. Mr. Prinzi will analyze, compare, and contrast Aslan's death and resurrection in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and Harry's "death" and return in Deathly Hallows.

Friday, 2:30-3:20pm, Batik Room

Clean Socks and Sacrifice - Motherhood in HP

Yolanda Carrol

Visions of motherhood in Harry Potter are widely diverse. From the sainted Lily Potter who died to protect her child to the anti-mother Bellatrix Lestrange who, if she had a child, would gladly give her it over to Voldemort's cause, the series has plenty of mothers of various quality. One question that this presentation hopes to answer is what, in Harry's world, constitutes a good mother, a bad mother, or a mother who is a bit of both?

Friday, 2:30-3:20pm, Obelisk A Theatre

Dumbledore is Gay

Karen Kabarle

In October 2007, JK Rowling created uproar by saying in an interview that she always thought of Dumbledore as gay. While many fans cheered, some readers quickly said there was no textual evidence that the wizard was gay. John Mark Reynolds went farther, declaring, “Dumbledore is not gay.” He writes: “There is no evidence of it in the books, and the books (at this point) are all that matter.” In a second article, he argues that Dumbledore is not heterosexual either, that his sexuality is not mentioned in the books and is therefore irrelevant. In this presentation, Ms. Kabarle will take up Reynold’s challenge and goes to the texts. She specifically examines Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Saturday, 4:30-5:20pm, Edelweiss Room

Gred and Forge: The Twin Tricksters of HP

Yolanda Carrol

This presentation will look at the character dynamic that is Gred and Forge. There are two things about Fred and George Weasley that always stood out: the fact that they were tricksters and the fact that they were twins. Many fans take for granted the fact that the twins are indeed tricksters, but are they really? In this presentation, Ms. Carrol will look at what traditionally defines and characterizes a trickster and then examines whether or not Fred and George measure up.

Friday, 9:00-9:50am. Obelisk A Theatre

Greeting Avada Kedavra With Open Arms: The Role of Solidarity as a Potentially Christian Response to Death in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Danielle Elizabeth Tumminio

The use of Christianity in the Harry Potter series remains one of the most contentious issues surrounding the books. Though Christian conservatives denounce JK Rowling’s work on grounds that it supports practice of the occult, other theological topics remain under-explored. This presentation will seek to look at a very different theological topic—death—in order to assess whether and to what extent Rowling espouses a Christian perspective. Specifically, this presentation will look at how death is redeemed through solidarity in the Harry Potter series. It will integrate the theological work of Jurgen Moltmann and Marilyn McCord Adams, both of whom have postulated the salvific work of Christ restores solidarity in the face of death. It will also look at several biblical passages to see the ways in which the Bible supports the idea that death is defeated through solidarity. Finally, recognizing that Rowling wrote the books as a response to her mother’s own death, this presentation will argue that Rowling’s choice to write the series is itself an act of solidarity in the face of death.

Saturday, 4:30-5:20pm, Obelisk B Theatre

Harry in Camelot

Constant Vigilance

The world of Harry Potter and the Arthurian legend have many points in common. Most people can name Arthur’s sword, Excalibur, but how many know that Arthur’s spear is named “Ron?” Many of the Weasleys are named after Arthurian characters. Arthur and Percy are familiar names in Camelot. Ginevra is a variation of the name Guinevere. There is even a “Weasel King” story in Arthurian legend. This presentation will explore the commonalities between these two fantasy worlds and pose the question, “Is the Round Table alive and well in the Ministry of Magic?”

Saturday, 2:30-3:20pm, Dardeneles Theatre

The Harry Potter Alliance, a Dumbledore's Army for the Real World

Andrew Slack

This dynamic presentation will go deep into the parallels between Harry's world and our own. Andrew Slack will talk about his own personal journey with Harry Potter and how the Harry Potter Alliance went from an interesting idea he had in his kitchen to an internationally based organization that reaches over 100,000 Harry Potter fans. He will discuss how the HP alliance has done significant work to end the genocide in Darfur, has been covered in the LA Times, NY Post, Chicago Tribune, and many other publications, and how the HPA continues to take the message of love and justice in Harry Potter and apply it to our world. Andrew will talk about the many amazing facets of the Harry Potter fandom (in particularly the Wizard Rock community) who have made this possible, the shocking and humbling experience of JK Rowling discussing the organization in Time Magazine, and where the organization hopes to go in its future quests to make the world a better place.

Friday, 10:30-11:50am, Batik Room

Harry Potter and the Redefinition of the Hero’s Journey

Valerie Frankel
Most people are familiar with the hero’s journey. This presentation will explore a few gaps: Why isn’t Voldemort Harry’s father? How did Hagrid, Harry’s beloved mentor, survive the series? Most importantly, why does our fascination with Snape positively drown out our feelings for Harry? Harry Potter marks a hero’s journey for Neville as well as Harry as well as the road to Snape’s redemption. Ron and Dumbledore also grow beyond the paper borders of their characters’ limitations. Are there too many heroes here? Also, what about our missing heroines? How has this series changed the formula?

Saturday, 5:30-5:50pm, Edelweiss Room

Harry Potter and the Unexpected Inheritance

Gabrielle Lissauer

There is an interesting subset of Harry Potter fanfiction called “Creature Harry” or “Inheritance” fanfic. They all follow the same basic formation to complete and utter predictability. The question then is, why? Why would someone write such a story? The Mary Sue stories are easily enough explained as wish fulfillment fantasy, but what drives an author to create a Harry who no longer looks at all like the character we know and love? Is it because the writers want to rebel against something in their lives? Or perhaps the appeal is in the power that they give Harry, the lure of the “Dark Side,” to use a Star Wars turn of phrase. Harry is weak, just a normal human being, but in these stories he is powerful and can do anything. He can take control of his life and not let anyone tell him what to do. These are the questions that this presentation will attempt to answer. What is the appeal of such a story? Why such transformations? Why this dark Harry?

Saturday, 2:30-3:20pm, Obelisk A Theatre

Harry Potter’s Literary Magic: Results of an Empirical Reader Study in a German Bookstore

Sylvia Lafontaine
The idea of this presentation will be to bring different approaches together to explain Harry Potter’s success. What makes this series unique is its perfect fit to the reader’s needs, regardless of his or her culture. What are those needs of Harry Potter readers? On what literary qualities do they focus? Do they admire the book because Harry Potter, as a piece of fantastic literature, fits in our time's fantasy boom? Or rather, do they appreciate the underlying values, philosophy of life, and worldview? And finally, what effects do the marketing strategies and the world-of-mouth recommendations have? Are millions of people only buying the books to figure out if they are as good as supposed to be?

Saturday, 11:30-11:50am, Batik Room

Hogwarts, A (Haunted) History

Travis Prinzi
It is quite obvious that Harry Potter is not primarily a horror story or a specifically gothic tale. No one reads the series for precisely the same reasons one would read Dracula or watch a scary movie. This presentation will address concerns about "scaring children" and the appropriateness of using supernatural horror in children's literature, considering Rowling's own lengthy discussions about fear in interviews. Part two will delve deeper into the series itself, demonstrating how Rowling incorporates Lewis's five fears into her stories. Particular emphasis will be placed on boggarts and dementors, the psychological link between fear and depression, and the methods Rowling employs to overcome fear: laughter, courage, and love. In the presentation's conclusion, authors Lovecraft, Lewis, Tolkien, and Rowling will be brought into conversation with each other, comparing and contrasting their approaches. The presenter will argue that Rowling has adequately handled the issue of fear, accomplishing its purpose in the fairy tale.

CeCe Mikell
With Albus Dumbledore professing that death is not an end but a beginning, it is surprising to see how often Rowling uses many of the stereotypes of aging as disability as a vehicle in the Harry Potter series. Parallels between the Muggle and wizarding worlds reinforce the parallel nature of the worlds in the Harry Potter series; that these aging stereotypes subsist in the magical world, a world that doesn’t really exist, enables “risk-free” examination of how these stereotypes affect our real and imagined lives as well as how we might affect the stereotypes through awareness.

Friday, 9:00-9:20am. Batik Room

Neville Longbottom and the Hero’s Journey
Dr. Catherine Schaff-Stump
Papers that examine the heroic journey of Harry Potter proliferate Rowling scholarship, but what occurs off camera in Rowling’s work can be captivating as well. Rowling continually presents us with pieces of Neville Longbottom’s life as he undertakes a hero’s journey of his own. This presentation will examine the clues that Rowling gives us throughout the seven novel series about Neville’s own journey through the heroic cycle, tracing Neville from the uncertain boy in book one, to the leader of Hogwarts’ revolution in book seven. The presentation will discuss Neville’s development in parallel and contrast to Harry’s.

Saturday, 11:30-11:50am, Obelisk A Theatre

No Foolish Wand Waving: Understanding the Material Culture of the Toys, Costumes, Games, and Keepsakes of the Harry Potter novels

Katherine Krohn
This presentation will explore what things people like to make, buy, collect, wear, and display from Harry’s world as well as what they do with them and how they do it. The rare literary phenomenon of being part of an enormous world-wide group moving together through what is normally (and from this point forward, shall always be) an individual reader’s experience, becomes amplified even more by the sharing and recognition of the “marks of participation” furnished by the material artifacts made, purchased, worn, displayed, played with, and used by adults and children of all ages.

Saturday, 4:30-6:50pm, Batik Room

A Nod of the Head: Was Draco Redeemed?

Yolanda Carrol
One subject that constantly comes up when discussing Draco Malfoy is redemption. Some fans say Rowling could have, while keeping Draco in character, allowed him to have a change of heart that would have had him working alongside our heroes and ultimately redeeming himself. Others argue that it would have been too out of character. In this presentation, Ms. Carrol will offer her views on what could or couldn't and what did or didn't happen regarding Draco Malfoy's story.

Saturday, 1:30-2:20pm, Obelisk A Theatre

Not Just Another Angry Teen Wizard: Harry Potter and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Nancee Lee-Allen
Since the publication of the Order of the Phoenix, Nancee has developed training tools for professionals working with teens with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder that utilize the Harry Potter series. The tools are useful when training staff to work with teens with PTSD and when working with the teens themselves. She will share these materials and concepts at Portus.

Saturday, 2:30-3:20pm, Batik Room

Post-Modern Pedagogy in Harry Potter

Jeanella Vennekotter
"Post-Modern Pedagogy in Harry Potter" will examine the ways in which JK Rowling implicitly characterizes as post-modern the pedagogical differences between the founders of the Hogwarts School for Wizards and Witches. The presentation will include a discussion of the instability that originates from a disagreement over three essential aspects of pedagogy: who will be taught; what will be taught; and how it will be taught. The presentation will address the effects of similar conflicts in our own "real" world, California and nationwide schools in general.

Saturday, 4:30-5:20pm, Obelisk A Theatre

The Real Legacy of Harry Potter, or a New Way to Think About What We Read, Why We Read and How
KADH Mercer
The real success of the Harry Potter series endures in far more important achievements than either the commercial or literary ones associated with the franchise. Its real impact lies in its power to create communities of readers, writers, and, most of all, critical thinkers. The Potter phenomenon, independent of the usual trappings of traditional scholarly or institutionalized study, has returned not merely just the love of reading to everyday readers but also presented an opportunity for the very art of reading to find new audiences in an age beset with the clamoring of new technologies and diversions for people’s attentions.

Saturday, 1:30-2:20pm, Batik Room

Repotting Harry Potter: Popular Lit Made Legit

James W. Thomas
For the “serious” Potter readers, like serious readers of any serious works of literature, the excitement did not end with the completion of book seven. The reader’s knowledge that Harry lives and that Snape loves Lily becomes much like the reader’s knowledge that Mr. Darcy is good, that Dimmesdale was the father, or that Daisy was driving the car. Going beyond plot, readers of all rich works come to appreciate even greater rewards. In Harry’s case, the fun did not end on a July night in 2007; it’s just beginning. Mr. Thomas will discuss his opinion, as a teacher of literature on the university level for over thirty years, that the Rowling books will endure as Lewis’s Narnia books and Tolkien’s Rings trilogy have endured—books to which Rowling’s are comparable and, in the presenter’s view, superior.

Priscilla Hobbs
This Presentation will explore the stories from a deep, psychological Jungian perspective. This entails pulling key characters, magical objects, and concepts from all seven books and applying them to Carl Jung's models of the unconscious and psychology. Through this, we can explore the popularity of the novels from another angle, one that suggests that the popularity of Harry Potter is due in part to the fact that the novels are literary models of the psyche.

Saturday, 4:30-5:50pm, Cardinal Theatre

The Son Is Father to the Man: Realizing Innate Power Through Childhood Experiences in Harry Potter and Wordsworth's Poetry
Elizabeth Wu
In this presentation, the presenter will examine Harry's journey through selected portions of Wordsworth's poem "Prelude" (1799), reflecting upon striking similarities between anecdotes in "Prelude" and Deathly Hallows, as well as analyzing the role of Harry's childhood and his late realization of his magical roots to the Wordsworthian notions of self-consciousness and the recognition of spiritual and intellectual power through "spots of time." Through Wordsworth's "Prelude," we can better understand why one orphan vainly desires defeating death, while the other willingly sacrifices himself for the lives of others.

Saturday, 1:30-2:20pm, Dardeneles Theatre

Teaching, Toil, and Trouble; Harry Potter as a Vehicle for Learning Education and Employment Law

Karen Morris
JK Rowling appears to have a fascination with the law. She wove legal issues throughout the Harry Potter series. This presentation will focus on those story lines that intersect with Education Law and Employment Law. Ms. Morris will identify vignettes that implicate these two areas of law and will explain the relevant Muggle rules. Law, a contemporary and engaging discipline in its own right, becomes an even more interesting study when mixed with all our favorite literary characters.

Roslyn Blyn-LaDrew
This presentation will examine the chronology of translation, looking at which world languages complete the series first and which regional languages are still incomplete by summer 2008. Most importantly, the presentation will examine the reasons for the patterns in translation and perhaps indulge in some prognosticating regarding the volumes yet to come. All attendees at this paper will learn at least a few keywords in Irish and Welsh that have been used to adapt Rowling's terminology. Participants will also find out the background to some of the Celtic names which appear in the translations and which are completely different from the original, such as Prysorwen and Bachwr.

Saturday, 11:30-11:50am, Cardinal Theatre

Unlocking the Secrets of the Hallows: A Key to Understanding Christian Symbolism in Harry Potter

Denise M. Roper, Aleta Leckelt
This presentation will explore the Christian symbolism used in the Harry Potter series and compares Rowling's work to that of Christian fantasy authors CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien. The author will present an in-depth look at Christian symbols derived from the Bible, the writings of the Early Church Fathers, the lives of the saints, Medieval bestiaries, Medieval artwork, and European folklore. She examines the symbolism of the lion, serpent, basilisk, unicorn, stag, doe, phoenix, and weasel along with the possible origins of the Deathly Hallows found in the Grail Hallows of Arthurian legend, including Arthur's Mantle of Invisibility, the Spear of Destiny, and the Grail itself, which in one Arthurian romance was called the "phoenix stone," or a stone of resurrection! The presenter will explore Harry Potter as a "Christ Figure" in the tradition of Lewis's Aslan and Tolkien's Frodo, Gandalf, and Aragorn, and explains how Rowling, like Lewis and Tolkien before her, smuggles the gospel message past the watchful dragons of our time.

Friday, 1:30-2:20pm, Batik Room

Wizards and Muggles: Mirror Images

Barbara Purdom
This presentation will examine that distorted mirror by which wizards and Muggles are divided, particularly what unites them--government, schools, sports, pastimes, and bigotries--as well as what some of Rowling’s distorted reflections of the wizarding world might be saying about the Muggle world.

Friday, 1:30-2:20pm, Obelisk A Theatre

The Veil as a Metaphor and Symbol in the Harry Potter Series

Jeanella Vennekotter
This presentation will explore the veil as a metaphor and symbol in the Harry Potter series, a metaphor of the disruption of reality not only as an instrument of magic but as a device that disrupts and obscures boundaries and establishes contradictions between worlds, between reality and illusion, between truth and lies, and between life and death. Ms. Vennekotter will examine JK Rowling's use of the veil metaphor within the context of characters, names, allusions, places, and events throughout all of the seven Harry Potter books.

Friday, 4:30-5:20pm, Obelisk A Theatre

Youth, Father, Wise-Old-Man: Male Archetypes in the HP Series

Barbara Purdom
In the male version of the three life-stages archetype, not everyone adhering to a male archetype is male; a specific gender is not a prerequisite for being in the role of a male or female archetype. Beginning with the "oldest" archetype and working backward, Ms. Purdom will examine the characters filling these roles in the Harry Potter books, occasionally revisiting concepts first addressed in "Maiden, Mother, Crone," chiefly for clarity. Just as Harry must reconcile himself and understand his relationship with the female archetypes, he must also absorb the lessons from the male archetypes, avoiding their mistakes and taking their collective experience with him on his quest for the Horcruxes and the final confrontation with Voldemort.

Saturday, 10:30-11:20pm, Obelisk A Theatre

Roundtables

The Dark Lord, the Squibs, and the Mad Auror: Themes of Disability in the Wizarding World

Dr. Millie Gore

Common preconceptions of disability include the “monster,” the “pitiful eternal child,” and the “brave over-comer.” Lord Voldemort, squibs and Professor Trelawney, and Alastor Moody may be characterize these prototypes. The first part of this roundtable discussion will present the common preconceptions and major dimensions by which the characters may represent the prototypes. The second part of the discussion will involve participant identification of subtle dimensions of the characterizations that confirm or disprove the prototypes. The discussion will culminate with individual participants offering their conclusions regarding the thesis that the characters are prototypes of the common preconceptions.
Friday, 10:00-10:50am. Dardeneles Theatre

Does Dumbledore’s love for Grindelwald Change Canon?
Penny Gershman
When JK Rowling announced Dumbledore’s homosexuality, many fans were not upset with his sexual preference but rather with the notion that this proclamation changed cannon. When considering the Dumbledore/ Grindelwald relationship, one has to wonder whether Dumbledore was truly attracted to the ideals that Grindelwald espoused or whether it was his infatuation with the man himself that led him to be tempted with the notion of wizard dominance and “the greater good” ideal. Is Harry Potter cannon changed now that there is a possibility that a childhood crush and not a naïve sense of ideology led Albus Dumbledore to a pursuit of power that could have caused not only his moral downfall, but also the downfall of all Muggle/ wizard relations?

Friday, 9:00-9:50am. Dardeneles Theatre

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly: A Look at the Life of Severus Snape

Veronica Atkins, Tracy Drammann

This roundtable will be exclusively about the man named Severus Snape. We will discuss the choices made by his parents before he was born to the choices made by Harry after Snape’s death and every thing in between. Did his mother doom him to his current life when she decided to marry Tobias Snape, an apparently abusive man? Did Lily Evans's unwillingness to accept Severus's apology lead to his joining the Death Eaters, or would he have chosen to join them anyway? What kind of difficult choices did Severus have to make in his role as a double agent for Dumbledore? Does Severus deserve the forgiveness he receives from Harry Potter? Come participate in an illuminating look at the life and death of Severus Snape.

Friday, 9:00-10:20am. Fleur de Lis Theatre

Growing Up With Harry
Sarah Steelman

This presentation will be for any young fans that spent all/part of their childhood reading this series and growing up alongside of the trio. This presentation will discuss how these readers feel Harry and the gang have influenced who they have become and how this past year has been without Harry along side them. This presentation will be modeled after “Graduating From Hogwarts Right Along with Harry,” led at Prophecy by Ariel Horowitz and Beth Breda.

Friday, 9:00-9:50am. Edelweiss Room

Harry Potter and the Bridge Between Two Worldviews

David Gras
Does JK Rowling, like CS Lewis, provide a bridge between two worldviews to bring the message of the Christian gospel to readers through the world of Harry Potter by presenting the mythology of the pagan world within Harry’s journey? During discussion of this subject Mr. Gras will look into the revelation in the Deathly Hallows chapter “Godric’s Hollow,” Rowling’s reference to the basis of life after death, and her direct quotes from the Christian Bible. Attendees will discuss these verses in relation to Harry’s struggle to understand the life after death question. They will draw upon discussion to gain an understanding of the Christian faith of Rowling and its effect upon the reader in a secular, post-modern world.

Friday, 1:30-2:20pm, Fleur de Lis Theatre

How Book Seven Has Changed the Fan Community and the Harry Potter Experience.

Kathy Brady
We have been lucky enough to grow up during the period where Harry Potter was yet finished. Much of the excitement surrounding Harry came from the fact that we didn't yet know what was going to happen. Now all the books are out, and the canon is finished. How have the Potter experience and the fandom changed since the release of the final book? What does the future hold for the Potter fandom?

Friday, 1:30-2:20pm, Edelweiss Room

Madame Puddifoots: A Place for Discussion Regarding Shippers, Ships, and the Impact of Romance on the Series and its Characters

Samantha Merchant
The Harry Potter fandom is an amazing community filled with people as different and diverse as the characters of the books themselves. Within the fandom, smaller sub-communities have grown to more specialize our communication. Ms. Merchant has conducted both a naturalistic ethnography and a fantasy theme analysis on the unique community of shippers, an amazing bunch of people who have come together due to shared interest to offer a unique perspective on the books. This roundtable will be a place for discussion that should include representatives from each ship.

Friday, 10:00-10:50am. Edelweiss Room

The Role of Fanfiction as a Critical Literary Analysis of the Harry Potter Canon

Sofia Marquez
This roundtable will discuss fanfiction as providing a critical analysis of the original Harry Potter text. For example, we will discuss how people, instead of writing academic essays, create stories with a different ending and pair non-canonical characters as a narrative analysis of the series. We will examine certain fanfic stories and the passages in the novels that inspired the writers to create those stories. The panel will comment on this as either a positive or negative creation of analysis and how it is changing the way people view literary criticism.

Friday, 4:30-5:20pm, Cardinal Theatre

So What if Dumbledore is Gay?

Mad Ange
Mad Ange has personally found the HP fandom to be more open-minded than many other fandoms, and those that she has discussed this with agree. This applies not just to sexual orientation but also in terms of religion/ beliefs, activities, fetishes, etc. Come and discuss your thoughts on the subject and share stories relating to this, whether personal or observational.

Friday, 11:30-11:50am, Fleur de Lis Theatre

Through the Lens: The Creation of the Harry Potter Universe on Film

Sofia Marquez
This roundtable will concentrate on the cinematography in the Harry Potter movies. We will discuss the various types of camera angles used to provoke a sense of the character, such as the camera facing up on Professor Snape to give him a more evil look. The roundtable will also talk about the movement of the camera and its ability to convey loneliness and other emotions. This is seen in scenes in which the camera zooms out on Harry to show his displacement and isolation in the surrounding world. In addition, we will discuss lighting and the changes the audience sees as a movie progresses from a fun story to one of danger. The lighting discussion will focus on character creation, since “good” characters tend to be lit with more light than “evil” characters. Furthermore, Ms. Marquez will discuss set design and the props used to describe not only location but also personalities.

Friday, 11:00-11:50am. Dardeneles Theatre

Voldemort Understands Nothing: Why this Led to His Ultimate Downfall

Penny Gershman
Voldemort's downfall was a long time coming. Despite his efforts to ensure his longevity, Voldemort's overall approach to life almost guaranteed his defeat. By ignoring the significance of some very important "deeper magics," he opened up a proverbial chink in his armor that ultimately led to his demise. This discussion will delve into the ways that Voldemort's conscious or unconscious disregard of seemingly small things led to his definitive downfall.

Friday, 11:00-11:50am. Edelweiss Room

Wednesday is Gay Night at the Three Broomsticks (or the Not-so-closeted Life of Albus Dumbledore)

Nancee Lee-Allen
We now know the truth about Dumbledore’s sexuality, but we do not know if he ever dated after his teenage heartbreak. Some journalists have gone so far as to say that the great headmaster lived a closeted life. Ms. Lee-Allen believes he was more open with the other adults around him, perhaps even going to “gay night” at the Three Broomsticks on Wednesdays. Others still believe that the adult Dumbledore was above sexuality. They say that he was too spiritual to be sexual, but, in its purest form, isn't sexuality spiritual? Would Dumbledore be any less powerful if he were involved in a serious relationship?

Saturday, 10:30-11:50am, Edelweiss Room

Workshops

Building Your Fantasy World

Valerie Frankel

Always longed to write that novel? Professional author Valerie Estelle Frankel will guide you through the process from start to finish. Build a magical world from scratch with cultures, plants, and animals. Design a stunning map. Create your characters, and send them forth on a magical quest. Finally, you will learn about the world of publication and how to break into magazines, anthologies, and more. Fanfiction writers and all others welcome.

Friday, 11:00-11:50am. Cardinal Theatre

Envisioning YOUR HP World: The Different Looks of the Same Idea

Tom Branch

This workshop will offer tips to artists who are struggling to define their style. Fan artists and aspiring fan artists can visit this workshop for the opportunity to both give and receive advice on creating unique versions of the HP characters. The workshop will explore everything from the simple to the to the most detailed and from costumes to buildings.

Friday, 2:30-3:20pm, Cardinal Theatre

The Essence of a Graphic Icon

Kari Phillips

Graphic icons make up a big part of the online Harry Potter fandom, especially on sites such as LiveJournal. There are countless communities that are solely dedicated to graphic icon showcases, but why rely on others to make your icons? This workshop will include several step-by-step tutorials as well as basic hints and techniques that you can apply as you start your own icons. After coming to this workshop, you will have a better understanding of how to make a graphic icon. We encourage attendees to bring their own laptops to the workshop in order to follow along.

Friday, 1:30-2:20pm, Cardinal Theatre

The Harry Potter Films Are Getting Dark: Techniques to Lighten and Enhance Screen Captures for Graphics and Fan Art

Elizabeth Wu

The Harry Potter movies are getting darker, making it more challenging to create high quality graphical works with great picture clarity, contrast, and rich color. In this workshop for beginning and intermediate Photoshop (7.0 and above) users, Elizabeth will share various photo-enhancing and coloring techniques that will enhance dark images and uncover the richness of color under the dark overlays of the films. You are welcome to bring your laptop and follow along with the demonstrations or provide "problem screencaps" to learn how to tackle issues with contrast, coloring, and clarity. This workshop also will aim to impart a theoretical understanding of Photoshop color correction and manipulation so that you can develop your own techniques and tackle difficult coloring issues on your own through exploring the infinite possibilities in Photoshop.

Friday, 4:30-5:20pm, Batik Room

Hogwarts RPG's on the Internet

Kathy Brady
When you google "Harry Potter RPG.” you may be surprised by how many results you find. RPGs have become a huge part of the Harry Potter fandom, yet many people still find them confusing and are unsure what do once they have joined one. This workshop will cover character creation and development as well as posting techniques and tips.

Saturday, 2:30-3:20pm, Cardinal Theatre

Join the Audio Aurors! Using The Freeware Program Audacity To Create Filks, Podcasts, And More!

Msavi
In this workshop, Snapecast's audio editor msavi will demonstrate how, with nothing more than a microphone and a free audio editing application called Audacity, even the technology-shy can produce quality filks, podcasts, and more. Workshop attendees are encouraged to download Audacity and bring their laptops, headsets, and many questions. The presentation will include live demonstrations of the creation and manipulation of audio files, a discussion of the benefits and drawbacks of using Audacity, hardware recommendations, and a tutorial booklet that attendees may take with them for future reference.

Saturday, 11:00-11:50am. Dardeneles Theatre

The Magic of Watercolor: Advanced Techniques for Beginners

Kathryn Crenshaw
This workshop will focus on demonstrating and explaining techniques that many watercolor books label as “advanced techniques,” such as backruns, dry brush, scraping, masking, and others often used by professionals. While this might sound daunting, there really is no reason these techniques cannot be introduced to beginners. The theory behind all of them is fairly simple; in fact, all of the techniques covered have been introduced in a college beginner’s watercolor class. This workshop is a fun and engaging way to further the audience’s knowledge of watercolor and their ability to use it.

Saturday, 4:30-5:50pm, Dardeneles Theatre

Magical Memories: Photo Workshop
Nancy Cartensen
Now that our beloved series is complete, how will you keep the magic alive? Why not create your own book of lasting magical memories? Immortalize your Harry Potter experience by creating two magical photo collages in this fun and creative workshop. Each participant will receive a free Magical Memories kit that has everything you will need to create two 12 x 12 Harry Potter scrapbook pages. Kits include paper, stickers, accessories, and a booklet of step-by-step sample layouts to get you started. During the workshop, you will have the opportunity to begin your pages, get design advice, and share your HP experiences with new friends. Photos are not required, but you are welcome to bring your own photos from previous Potter outings, or we can take a photo of you and your new Portus pals for you to use! Glue sticks, decorative scissors, and extra accessories will also be available for use at the workshop.

Saturday, 2:30-3:20pm, Edelweiss Room

Our Choices Make Us Who We Are: Teaching Harry Potter as a Moral Compass

Catherine Belcher
What is the value of teaching Harry Potter in today’s classrooms? Beyond the academic curriculum, Harry’s emotional growth and story arc provide an excellent opportunity to discuss issues of character development. As Harry and his companions face critical life decisions and make distinct choices about their belief systems, how do they both reflect our world and serve as role models for ethical and moral development in young people? This workshop will engage teachers and those interested in educational issues in a discussion both exploring theses questions and developing/sharing approaches to using Harry Potter in classrooms. In addition, we will consider how the novels are best utilized in those instances where educators are faced with external pressures not to read the books with their students.

Friday, 1:30-2:20pm, Dardeneles Theatre

The Personal Experience of Faith

Nicole Green
This workshop will be a facilitated group discussion on the topic of faith and religion in the series. Due to the incredibly personal nature of faith, the attendees will chiefly decide the direction of the discussion. Each human approaches and understands faith differently; therefore, our understanding of its role in the Harry Potter series will naturally be widely varied. It seems that up to this point, faith based discussions of the series have been, for the most part, limited to discussions of Christianity. The presenter’s hope is that attendees will come prepared to discuss how this book can relate to multiple faiths.

Friday, 2:30-3:20pm, Edelweiss Room

Reconstructing Harry: HP Costuming Tips & Techniques

Jennifer Racek, Catherine Schaff-Stump, Karen Peterson, Leslie Lynch
Presented by four novice-to-expert members of the HP costuming community, this panel will share ideas and tips for creating everything from a budget house robe to the most extravagant dress robes. We'll cover topics such as how to create a school uniform with thrift store finds. More advanced costumers will learn how to select the best fabric, create and adjust patterns, and explore novel ways to create your perfect costume such as making chain-mail from soda can tabs. How do you pick the perfect wig? Which online stores offer the best deals and selection? The panelists will cover these answers and many more.

Friday, 1:30-2:50pm, Obelisk B Theatre

The Rowling School of Writing - How to Create Memorable Characters

Jennifer Racek
One of the great strengths of the Harry Potter series is its strong characters. More than just a flimsy collection of mug shot stats like height, weight, and hair color, JKR breathes life into her characters so that they leap off the page and into the hearts of readers. Characterization, the little details that make a character more than words on a page, is an art with which many authors struggle. Dozens of books address the subject, and the Internet is filled with suggestions and exercises to help budding authors learn how to create strong, memorable characters. However, which techniques really work? How much do you really need to know about your characters before you put pen to paper? Through the use of real world examples, such as Rowling's Harry Potter series, we'll explore the tips and techniques that work best and dispel a few myths about characterization along the way. From character triage to finding each character's unique voice, this workshop will help fanfic and original fiction authors spin a little magic of their own.

Saturday, 10:30-11:20am, Cardinal Theatre

Scrapbooking for the Harry Potter Fan

Jennifer Clack
The "Year of Harry Potter" has come and gone. What do we have to remember it by? Well-worn copies of Deathly Hallows, ticket stubs from Order of the Phoenix, and a million pictures from release parties and Prophecy. The best way to keep those memories safe is scrapbooking. In this workshop, we will start with some tips for speed-scrapbooking. We'll also deconstruct some page designs (participants are welcome to share their ideas as well) and demonstrate page embellishments. We'll cover many aspects of scrapbooking - tools, techniques, tips, and tricks. We will discuss the importance of journaling in your scrapbook as well. We will have some hands-on practice during the workshop. Don't worry about lugging your scrapbooking stuff on the airplane, though. Materials will be provided. This workshop will be fun for both new and experienced scrapbookers.

Friday, 4:30-5:20pm, Dardeneles Theatre

So Many Books, So Much Money: Taking Care of Your Investment

Diana Sanderson
Books, even trade paperbacks, represent a major financial investment, especially to bibliophiles and avid readers, such as those of us in the Harry Potter fandom. Many people read beloved books over and over and over again, causing wear and tear on pages, the binding and covers. Pages may have fallen out if the binding has been compromised or broken. The presenter will show a simple tipping-in method for pages, paper repair for those with well-worn books (or books that have been mishandled by young
children), hinge tightening, and cover preservation. Participants may bring their books with them, but Ms. Sanderson will have some books and tools to demonstrate simple repair methods with household tools (knitting needles, wax paper, etc.). She also will provide handouts listing links to websites that have step-by-step instructions to take home with them.

Saturday, 1:30-2:20pm, Edelweiss Room

Thinking Creatively, Writing Critically: An Approach to Writing Harry Potter Non-Fiction
KADH Mercer
Many writers equate the act of composing non-fiction with the droll and tedious assignments they had to endure throughout primary and secondary school and sometimes even beyond. The reality of it, however, is that good non-fiction writing is just as creative an endeavor as so called “creative” writing and in some ways is even more so than in fiction because engaging critical writing involves a blending of both analysis and imagination. So how does one think critically and yet write creatively? Stop by to find out.

Friday, 2:30-3:20pm, Dardeneles Theatre

To Teach or Not to Teach? How to Use the Harry Potter Series to Teach Christian Theology

Danielle Elizabeth Tumminio

Though some corners of Christianity denounce JK Rowling’s work as supporting the practice of the occult, other theological topics like death, salvation, grace, and sin remain under-explored. This workshop seeks to look at these topics to help educators see if, and to what extent, they resemble elements from the Christian worldview. This workshop will make the case that the books remain a wonderful tool for teaching theological concepts because they allow students to learn core theological tenets in a tangible, practical way. Teaching theology through the Harry Potter series presents the material in a way that is both exciting and relevant for pupils. This workshop will be of particular use educators, parents, and adult fans of the books, and it is essential that these groups have a good grasp on this material so they can help young people understand how Christianity figures into the books.

Friday, 11:00-11:50am. Obelisk A Theatre

Two Lawyers Teach Vidding Basics

Heidi Tandy, Rachael
The phenomenon of fan-made music videos or "vidding" started in 1975 when a Star Trek fan presented a slide show of still images set to music during a convention. The development of the VCR fueled the growth of vidding in the 1980's, but this form of fan creativity didn't really take off until consumer friendly editing software and hosting sites like YouTube made the technologies for making and viewing vids accessible on a broad scale. These technologies are so accessible today that two lawyers will give you a basic overview of the tools and creative process associated with making your own fan vid. They will even go through the process of making vids from scratch during the workshop.